Get Your Cholesterol Checked

The Basics

The Basics: Overview

It's important to get your cholesterol (“koh-LEHS-tuh-rahl”) checked regularly. Too much cholesterol in your blood can cause a heart attack or a stroke.

The good news is that it’s easy to get your cholesterol checked. If your cholesterol is high, you can take steps to lower it – like eating healthy, getting more physical activity, and taking medicine if your doctor recommends it.

How often do I need to get my cholesterol checked?

The general recommendation is to get your cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years. Some people may need to get their cholesterol checked more or less often depending on their risk for developing heart disease.

For example, high cholesterol can run in families. If someone in your family has high cholesterol or takes medicine to control their cholesterol, you might need to get tested more often. Talk to your doctor about what’s best for you.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance (material) that’s found naturally in your blood. Your body makes cholesterol and uses it to do important things, like making hormones and digesting fatty foods.

You also raise your cholesterol by eating foods like egg yolks, fatty meats, and cheese.

If you have too much cholesterol in your body, it can build up inside your blood vessels and make it hard for blood to flow through them. Over time, this can lead to heart disease and heart attack or stroke.

The Basics: Types of Cholesterol

What do the test results mean?

If you get a lipid profile test, the results will show 4 numbers. A lipid profile measures:

Total cholesterol

LDL (bad) cholesterol

HDL (good) cholesterol

Triglycerides (“try-GLIH-suh-rydz”)

Total cholesterol is a measure of all the cholesterol in your blood. It's based on the LDL, HDL, and triglycerides numbers.

LDL cholesterol is the “bad” type of cholesterol that can block your arteries – so a lower level is better for you.

HDL cholesterol is the “good” type of cholesterol. It helps clear LDL cholesterol out of your arteries, so a higher level is better for you. Having a low HDL cholesterol level can increase your risk for heart disease.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood that can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Take Action!

Take Action: Get Tested

Find out what your cholesterol levels are. If your cholesterol is high or you are at risk for heart disease, take steps to control your cholesterol levels.

Make an appointment to get your cholesterol checked.

Call your doctor’s office or health center to schedule the test. Be sure to ask for a complete lipid profile – and find out what instructions you’ll need to follow before the test. For example, you may need to fast (not eat or drink anything except water) for 9 to 12 hours before the test.

What about cost?

Cholesterol testing is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get your cholesterol checked at no cost to you. For more information about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.

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Thursday, March 21, 2019